


No Promises

by flimflam99



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 18:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12138048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flimflam99/pseuds/flimflam99
Summary: Starts off from the end of the Lying Detective and then after TFP.





	1. Chapter 1

Molly was sad. Sherlock realised this the minute he walked with John into the cake shop. She had found a table at the back and was sat on the sofa, Sherlock sat next to her and John took the chair opposite. Molly smiled bravely at them but the smile didn’t reach her eyes and she did little more than glance at Sherlock before her eyes moved swiftly away. The waitress came and took their order then Molly and John started discussing Rosie, Sherlock listened with half an ear whilst watching Molly surreptitiously. He’d sat himself in the corner of the sofa angled in such a way that he could see both John and Molly without having to turn his head. 

Yes, Molly was definitely sad, yet weren’t they all sad to some degree? The loss of Mary was still raw for all of them, especially for John who had virtually admitted he had conversations with his dead wife. Some of Molly’s sadness was because he had started using again but there was something else, something he was missing. There was always something he missed. No matter, he would drag the truth out of her later when they were on their own, it was her turn to babysit him…….

\----------------------

Well that didn’t work. Sherlock mused to himself later. He was lying in his bed in the dark. Molly had not given him a chance to ask her anything. They had got back to his flat, she’d set her laptop up on his Kitchen table and shooed him off to bed, saying that she had a paper to write and if he didn’t comply she would phone Mycroft and he’d end up in rehab. So he’d scowled at her and then left her to it, leaving him pondering on what he had missed.

\------------------------------

It wasn’t until he was forced to get her to say it, standing in front of her ‘coffin’ watching her on the screen as she made him say it first. It wasn’t until then that he realised that he had made her say it before – in the back of an ambulance.

\------------------------------

Twenty-four hours later and he was at his parents’ house, more or less dragged there by his mother. Mycroft had left to go back to London and Sherlock was all set to go back with him, to go and see Molly, when Mycroft had told him that the pathologist wasn’t there. She had gone. Mycroft had no idea where but Sherlock didn’t believe him, especially when his dad kept saying what a lovely day it was – how nice it would be at their little holiday retreat off the Cornish coast. Sherlock’s dad had then promptly handed him the keys to his Jaguar and took his wife off out to the back garden giving Sherlock enough time to pack and escape.

\-----------------------------

So for the umpteenth time Sherlock found himself in a helicopter, landing on the smooth lawn of their holiday retreat – which was on their own private island. All through the short helicopter ride he had run through again and again what he had remembered yesterday. The memory he had suppressed deep inside his mind palace, under enough locks and keys that the crown jewels would have been safe there – the memory of forcing his beloved Molly to admit she loved him.  
He had been high as a kite, lying on the trolley in the back of the ambulance. Molly was trying to keep her balance as she tried to examine him whilst the ambulance was in motion. She had failed miserably and landed on top of him. He immediately wrapped his arms tight around her, kissing her neck and sliding his hand under her blouse. She had made a token struggle but then gave in, opening his shirt and kissing his chest. He kept asking her whilst they touched one another ‘You love me Molly, don’t you – say it’. More and more demanding as he teased her with his mouth and fingers. He forced her to say it but before he could respond the ambulance had stopped, leaving them both unsatisfied in more ways than one. Thank god Molly had remembered his coat.

And he had tucked the memory away in his mind palace to find later, just much later than he thought he would.

\-------------------------------------------

Sherlock used the keys his dad had pressed upon him to open the front door of the holiday cottage. It was a simple affair, two bedrooms with ensuite, large open plan Living Room, large Kitchen, patio area and steps leading to the beach below. 

He had thought that Molly would be down on the beach on such a lovely sunny day, despite the time of year, but she was lying on one of the sofas in the Living Room where the sun’s rays through the window could touch her skin. She had her nose in a book and was so engrossed in it that she didn’t hear the front door open or see Sherlock stood there staring at her with great intensity. Sherlock cleared his throat.

Molly sprang up off the sofa, book flying onto the floor. When she saw who it was her eyes filled with pain and she turned her head away for a moment before turning back, a look of resignation on her face.

“I should have known. Why did I let Mycroft convince me to come here? I was at the airport, Sherlock, I was practically on the plane! But no, I wasn’t allowed to do that, was I? Next thing I know I was being bundled away like a terrorist and brought to your brother. ‘Stay at the family’s holiday cottage if you must leave London, we need to keep you safe. No I promise I won’t tell Sherlock where you are.” Molly’s voice sank lower, fluctuating being tears and anger and she sank back onto the sofa and tiredly massaged her forehead.

“Mycroft didn’t tell me” Sherlock still stood in front of the doorway to the cottage, his holdall at this feet. “Daddy did”.

Molly’s eyes shot up when he said that. “Daddy?” she spat derisively. “You mean you actually do have parents? I always thought you and Mycroft were genetically engineered. I thought when you called Mycroft brother maybe he was manufactured in the pod next to you or something.”

Although Sherlock knew she was deliberately baiting him he was surprised at how hurt he felt when she said that. If she only knew how easily she could hurt him, especially now. He didn’t reply but he breathed in sharply through his nose and swallowed harshly. 

The silence went on. Molly was staring straight ahead of her, arms folded against her breasts. Sherlock stood there, clenching and unclenching his hands, torn between grabbing her and kissing her senseless or opening his mouth to deduce the hell out of her. He did neither.

“Why can’t you leave me alone, Sherlock? Haven’t you toyed with me enough?” Molly finally looked at him, the despair in her face evident for all to see. “Just go away, please?” Her heartfelt plea tore at Sherlock’s insides. He strode further into the room but was still far enough away to not crowd her.

“I can’t go. I love you Molly. There I’ve said it and I’m not high and I haven’t been forced to say it. I love you.” He sank onto the sofa opposite to hers. Molly snorted.

“You don’t know what love is, Sherlock. What you’re feeling is, I don’t know, guilt or pity or something. Well I’m not going to do it, I’m not playing along. If you aren’t leaving then I’ll leave.” She stood up, carefully avoiding Sherlock’s long legs and went towards the stairs.

“Molly, it may have escaped your notice but this house is on an island. Just how do you propose to leave? The only way off the island is either by boat, can you steer a boat, Molly or by the helicopter which has just left.” Sherlock sneered at her.

“And he’s back” Molly muttered under her breath. “I’ll phone Greg Lestrade then on my mobile”. She got out her phone and then huffed in frustration as although she had a signal she couldn’t get through to him. 

“Your mobile won’t work, Molly. For security purposes.” Sherlock smirked.

Molly picked up the landline phone. “There’s no dial tone”. Sherlock frowned at her, normally the phoneline worked. “But what if one of us gets taken ill?” She demanded.

“Mycroft has cameras, he’ll know if one of us is ill.” Sherlock reassured her. Molly was still upset though. 

“I’ll pretend to be ill then.” Molly snapped. Sherlock just shook his head. He picked up the paperback she had been reading and started reading the back cover. Molly quickly ran over to the back of his sofa and grabbed him by the neck squeezing gently.

“I’ll strangle you then, just until you lose consciousness. I won’t actually kill you. Then we can both get off of this island.” She squeezed a bit harder before letting him go. 

“Molly, I’ll have to give you lessons on strangulation, that was terribly weak.” Sherlock didn’t even sound hoarse. Molly’s phone pinged. She picked it up to read it.

“It’s from Mycroft. ‘Please refrain from strangling my brother Miss Hooper. The mobile signal only allows messages to and from me. Enjoy your stay.’. So I’m a prisoner here and you’re what, my guard?” Molly flung her phone onto the coffee table and sat back down on the sofa opposite Sherlock.

Sherlock froze. It all made sense now. 

“No” He croaked, Molly looked up at him suddenly anxious. “You’ve got it the wrong way round. I always miss something.” He stood up and starting pacing. “Mycroft didn’t tell me where you were, if he had I would have smelled a rat instantly. No he got Daddy to do it because apart from you and John he’s the one person I trust the most.” He paced faster, ruffling his hair with his fingers.

“Sherlock, what are you talking about?” Molly stood up and walked up to him, stilling his movements.

“I’m not YOUR guard, you’re MY guard.” Sherlock put his hands on her arms, gripping them tight. “He got you over here, then told my dad to tell me where you were so I would come here for you and now he’s trapped me on this island.”

“But why would he do that?” Molly said in a bewildered tone.

“So I can’t get hold of any drugs. After what happened yesterday he’s worried I’m going to start using again. And you Molly, you’re here for company, to keep me sane until he thinks the danger has passed.”

“What danger? What happened yesterday?” Molly gripped his arms, shaking them a little.

“You mean Mycroft didn’t tell you? Eurus. Eurus is what happened yesterday.”


	2. Chapter 2

Sherlock sat on the edge of his bed, looking out of the French doors which led onto the balcony to the sea beyond. Just how was he going to go forward now? He stood up and opened one of the doors letting the stiff winter breeze flood through the room and through his brain. Two days he’d been hiding in his room. Two days of endless thoughts going through his head and no sleep. Sherlock had fled the Sitting Room after mentioning Eurus and hadn’t seen or spoken to Molly since. He couldn’t cope. Mycroft was right, more than anything right now he needed the oblivion of a fix.

Molly had just let him get on with it, she had made no attempt to reason with him. Sherlock didn’t know if it was because she was still angry at him or because she knew him so well that it was pointless trying to talk to him when he was like this. Sherlock grinned wryly to himself, Molly knew him – the real him – better than he knew himself.

Suddenly he sniffed. He could smell something cooking, his stomach rumbled. He hadn’t eaten for days. He shut the door to the balcony and then made his way downstairs, hoping that he wouldn’t have to grovel to get some of that delicious food he could smell cooking.

Molly was just taking a casserole out of the oven. She glanced up warily when he came in but made no comment. Sherlock was pleased to see her get out two plates and fill them both with casserole. She put two thick slices of bread on two side plates and brought them to the table.

Sherlock sat down at the table and said thank you when she placed the food in front of him.

“I only warmed it up, I have no idea what it will taste like. The food in the freezer is all labelled for when we can eat it. Whoever put it there knows you well, this is the first meal with your name on it as well.” Molly spoke matter of factly but there was no warmth in her voice. She picked up the wine bottle in the centre of the table and poured them both a glass. Sherlock merely nodded his thanks and started to eat his food.

Afterwards Sherlock helped Molly to stack the dishwasher and then they both sat down opposite one another on the two sofas. Molly started reading her book and Sherlock tried once again to sort his mind palace which after Sherrinford, was in tatters. What was once known and assured was now in question. Sherlock went in room after room but couldn’t concentrate in any of them because in every room there was a picture of Molly, Molly’s face when she told him that she loved him.

Sherlock groaned in frustration and jumped off the sofa to pace wildly around the room, startling Molly.

“What’s wrong, Sherlock?” Her tone of voice wasn’t filled with concern but with apathy. Sherlock just grunted at her and she sighed.

“Who or what is Eurus? Sherlock why don’t you just tell me?” Molly put her book down and turned to face him. Sherlock stilled, he could hear his heart pumping ever faster.

“I can’t, I just can’t” To his eternal shame he heard his voice crack with emotion. He saw the shocked look on Molly’s face as she leapt from the sofa towards him. For the second time in two days, Sherlock fled the room and the safety of his bedroom.

\-----------------------------------

Sherlock opened the doors and stood on the balcony of his room looking out to sea. A movement caught his eye and he could see Molly down on the beach walking along the shoreline. She hadn’t called after him when he fled upstairs and again had left him to it. That was a couple of hours ago and the day was beginning to lose the light, soon it would be dark. He watched Molly as she roamed the beach, which was lucky for her, as she lost her footing in an unexpected dip in the sand and fell over, landing on her stomach, she turned to clasp her foot when a great big wave hit her.

Sherlock had never run so fast in his life. Casting aside his dressing gown, he literally leapt over the balcony onto the porch roof of the rear door, down to the ground and rushed down the stone steps onto the beach. He could see Molly who was struggling in the water to get up, she had obviously hurt her foot and the clothes she was wearing was saturated with water which didn’t help her attempts to get out of the water. She was slowly being pushed further away from the shoreline.

Sherlock reached the water’s edge and waded into the sea. Grabbing Molly’s arm he managed to get her to stand up and then he picked her up in his arms. He deposited her on the beach safely away from the waves. 

“Are you alright?” He asked her. Molly just nodded, she was shivering. Sherlock picked her back up and made his way slowly back to the house. He took her upstairs into the nearest room (his bedroom) and gently put her in the basket chair in the Ensuite Bathroom. 

Sherlock started to fill the bath and turned to Molly who was still shivering in her wet clothes. She was shaking so much that Sherlock knew she would never be able to get undressed without help. Sherlock smiled to himself ironically, he never thought he would be undressing Molly in this sort of circumstance. He tried to be as impersonal as he could be as he quickly took her clothes off and helped her into the bath. He flushed bright red as he heard her let out a groan of appreciation as she sank into the hot water. He quickly went into his bedroom and changed from his wet clothes into his pyjamas before running into Molly’s room and finding her pyjamas which he stuck on the radiator in his bedroom. 

When he went back into the bathroom Molly was lying in the bathtub looking like she was about to fall asleep and the water was starting to cool. He managed to cajole her into getting out of the bath and wrapped her in a warm fluffy towel before helping her back into his bedroom.  
He dried her off as best he could, before helping her into her pyjamas and into his bed. Molly made a token protest but she was feeling the effects of her ordeal and just tiredly turned over onto her side and cradling her head in her hand settled down to sleep. Sherlock got in next to her and wrapping as much of himself as he could around her to keep her warm, he finally gave in to his tiredness and fell asleep too.

\-----------------------------

When he awoke it was late evening and he was still wrapped around Molly. She lay cradled in his arms, her head now on his chest, her arm wrapped round his waist. Sherlock let out a slow breath which was when he realised that Molly was awake, as she tightened her grip on him.

“Molly, are you ok?” Sherlock whispered.

“I think so.” She whispered back. “Thank you for saving me, Sherlock.”

Sherlock just kissed the top of her head in response and they both seemed content to just lie there together.

“Sherlock, when are you going to tell me about Eurus” Sherlock stiffened and he started to pull away from her but she tightened her grip on his waist. “Don’t you trust me anymore?”

“Of course I trust you.” Sherlock answered defensively.

“Then tell me. I know something’s wrong. You’ve been hiding from me, it’s more than that phone call isn’t it?”

“Molly do you remember me asking you that day I fell off the roof at Bart’s that if I wasn’t everything that I think I am, would you still want to help me?” 

Molly shifted slightly, closer to him.

“Yes? It’s still true, Sherlock”

Sherlock heaved a deep sigh. “Because I don’t know who I am anymore, Molly”. He pulled her even tighter into him, resting his head on the top of hers, he could feel tears rolling down his face, dropping onto Molly’s silken hair. Molly eased herself out of his embrace and pulled him into her arms, Sherlock laid his head down on her chest and began to weep.

\------------------------------

It was much, much later and Sherlock and Molly were huddled together on one of the sofas under several blankets. Sherlock had told her everything that had happened at Sherrinford and what had happened to him as a small child. They had both cried and held each other tightly. Then after a while they went downstairs, made some tea and toast and then settled on the sofa together.

“I am sorry, Molly” Sherlock muttered. Molly reached up and stroked his cheek.

“Stop saying that, it was hardly your fault was it?” She cuddled back down into him again.

“No I mean before, the first time, in the ambulance.” Molly stiffened and then slowly drew back from him and sat up.

“You remembered that then?” She queried flatly. Sherlock nodded, clearing his throat. “I thought you’d deleted it”. Sherlock shook his head.

“I’d filed it away. I shouldn’t have made you say it but I needed to know that you still cared for me Molly.” Sherlock sat up too, hitching the blanket up around their shoulders.

“That’s why I wanted you to say it first on the phone. I said it last time and you didn’t and I wanted you to say it first this time.” Molly admitted in a small voice.

Sherlock brought his arm up round her and gently nudged her back down to lie next to him.

“But you told me I didn’t know what love is and I guess you’re right.”. Sherlock let out a small sigh.

“I was scared.” Molly clutched the blanket tight to her. “After all this time, you finally admitted that you loved me and it’s what I’ve wanted to hear you say for a long, long time and when you said it, the second time, I knew you meant it and it frightened me. You’ve said it in my head so many times and when you told me for real, I just couldn’t handle it so I decided to go away.”

There was silence for a while as Sherlock processed her words. It almost sounded like…….

“You knew? You knew that I loved you?” Molly nodded her head.

“You might not know who you are anymore, Sherlock but you’re the same man to me, the man I’ve always seen. I’ve always seen beneath your façade Sherlock, I’ve always seen the real you, the human you. Doesn’t mean you’re not bloody annoying sometimes though.”

Sherlock let out a small laugh. They lay there for a while longer.

“I’m so scared. I just know I’ll mess it up and lose you. As you said before relationships aren’t my area.” Sherlock was stunned. Molly was scared she would mess it up?

“Molly, in all probability the one who will mess things up is me. You can practically depend on it.” Sherlock stated calmly. Molly shook her head violently. “Molly I swear that I will do my utmost to be worthy of your love.”

Molly put her hand on his chest, right over his heart.

“No swearing, no vows or promises. We just need to be honest with one another. This could be the best thing that ever happens to us or it could be what tears us apart, so I don’t want to hear promises that could be broken. Just tell me what’s in your head and in your heart, Sherlock and I’ll do the same.” Sherlock took her hand and pressed it harder against his heart.

“At the moment, my heart is beating just for you, Molly and I’ve got John in my head going just shut up and kiss her, so if you don’t mind I might just take John’s advice for once.”

Molly shook her head quickly, smiling up at him as he lowered his head and kissed her.

**Author's Note:**

> I felt sad so I thought I would cheer myself up by making Sherlock and Molly sad too........ Happy ending though!


End file.
